1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to compositions, tool, methods and devices to culture microorganisms and, in particular, to compositions, tools, methods and devices for the detection of microorganisms in biological samples.
2. Description of the Background
Microorganisms such as bacteria, virus, parasites and more can be life-threatening infections when detected in a patient. Often, the ability to save a life depends on the prompt identification of the infectious agent so that appropriate antimicrobial therapy can begin. Certain infections can be detected and identified directly from an analysis of a biological sample, whereas others require culturing of the sample to increase the number of microorganisms to a detectable level. With regard to the later, incubators have proven to be an invaluable tool. Very simply, the biological sample is placed in an incubator and allowed to proliferate under conditions that promote growth. After a period of time the microorganism, if present, becomes detectable.
Many different incubators have been developed and are available commercially (e.g., see U.S. Pat. No. 3,796,639). The key features of an incubator include the ability to properly culture the sample and to maintain containment of the sample. A need exists to reduce the time between collection of samples from a patient or source and identification of the infection so that administration of the correct antimicrobial therapy can either begin or be avoided.